Gaseous-fuel supply system



Sept. 9, .1924.

T. L. HILES GASEOUS FUEL S'UPPLY SYSTEMl rma uns 20'.. 192x 2 shun-sn. 1

Qu NN, bw

sept. 9', 1924. 1,507,886

\ T. L`. HILES GASEOUS FUEL SUPPLY SYSTEM Filed June 20 1921 2 Sheets-Shut 2 Patented Sept. 9, 1924.

UNITED STATES THERON L. HILES, F NILES, MICHIGAN.

GASEOUS-FUEL SUPPLY SYSTEM.

Application filed .Tune 20, 1921. Serial No. 478,804.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that JI, THERON L. HILEs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Niles, in the county of Berrien and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gaseous-Fuel Supply Systems, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to a fuel supply l0 system which is adapted for use primarily in the industrial arts, and has more particular reference to a means for supplying fuel i'n fluid form, such as amixtureof fuel gas and air, for efficient combustion.

Among the methods now commonly employed for effecting the mixture of air and gas for combustion purposes are what are generallyknown as the two-pipe system, the atmospheric system and the one-pipe system. In the two-pipe system the air and gas are supplied by means of two separate pipes, both being under pressure and controlled manually. In the atmospheric system, the

gas only is supplied under pressure, the supply of air being effected by induction, and both the supply of air and gas are controlled 'manually In the one-pipe system, a primary mixture of air and gas is supplied by means of a single pipe, and a suicient quantity of air is supplied at the burner Vby induction to render the mixture combustible. In this case also the relative proportion of the air and gas is controlled by manually operable means. As a result of such manual control in the prior systems, great skill is required on the part of the operator or attendant in producing a combustible mixture having the proper ratio of air and gas. Moreover, it is impossible, even with the exercise of such skill, to effect such mixture with substantial uniformity. Consequently such prior systems are incapable of operation with a high degree of efficiency.

The principal object of the present invention is to produce a system for supplying a fluid or gaseous fuel, in which one of the elements composing the fuel is supplied under pressure, as in the atmospheric system, and the other element is supplied in a measured or proportionalV volume through a positive movement thereof effected through the utilization of a portion of the force of the element under pressure.

Another object of the invention is to proin a predetermined ratio which is operable wholly automatically and hence is not dependent upon the skill of the'attendant nor subject to., theinaccuracies vwhich unavoidably accompany the manual control.

vA further object is to provide such a device which will effect such mixture at the burner in any desired volume and will automatically maintain a predetermined ratio between the elements constituting the mixture for all volumes consumed.

A further object of the invention is to produce a fluid fuel supply system in which the mixturemay be supplied at any desired number of points or stations and wherein each station constitutes a unit which is individually adjustable, and is wholly independent-of and not affected bythe operation or adjustment of other units, thus lending flexibility to the system such that it is capable of many and diversified uses.

. With the above objects in view, the invention contemplates the utilization of power stored in one of two fluid elements to accomplish a positive flow of a proportional volume of the other element. This is accomplished in the present instance by the use of a rotary impeller having a series of turbine blades arranged to receive the impact of the element under pressure prior to its lfinal discharge from its conductor and in advance of the meeting and mixing of the two fluids.- The impeller, through the medium of a second series of blades or vanes, acts upon the second element surrounding said conductor, to .propel it forwardly for intermixture with the element under pressure. The speed of rotation of the impeller is dependent upon theforce of the impact upon the turbine blades. Consequently, by varying the volume of the element under pressure discharged, the volume of the second elementis also controlled so as to maintain the desired predetermined ratio between the elements for all volumes of the m1xture,

consumed.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein I have shown but a single embodiment` of the invention, it will be understood, however, that changes in arrangement, form, construction and proportions may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the. invention as expressed in the appended claims.

duce such a device for mixing air and gas In Figure 1 of the drawings I have shownl no 10 is a rear end view of a portion of the;j means for controlling the volume of gas discharged for consumption.

Referring first to Figure 1, 14 designates generally a compressor of any usual or preferred form, and 15 a main having branches 16 leading respectively to one or more stations designated generally A, B and C..

At each of said stations there is provided a device shown particularly in Fig. 2 which is operable entirely automatically to control the flow of one of the elements constituting the gaseous fuel in a predetermined proportion to the volume of the other element which is subject to manual control for varying the volume of the mixture to be consumed. The device comprises generally a gas tube 17 communicating with a branch pipe 16, and surrounded by an air tube constituting an annular casing 18. Said casing provides an air passageway 19 around. the gas tube 17, and a passageway 20 into which the gas is discharged for mixture with the air. 21 designates generally an impeller which I have herein designated for convenience a turbo fan wheel because it embodies two or more sets of fans or blades of which one set are turbine blades arranged to receive the impact of one fluid bodywhicli is under pressure, so as to be rotated thereby, and of which the other set are fan blades which in the rotation of the device produce a flow of another fluid body not under pressure. In the present instance this turbo fan wheel is adapted to be actuated by the flow of gas through the gas tube 17, and is capable in turn ofacting positively upon the air in the passage 19 to move or propel a metered or measured quantity thereof forwardly in the passageway 19 and into the. passageway 20. 22 indicates a manually operable means for controlling the volume of gas discharged from the nozzle and hence the volume of the gaseous mixture discharged for consumption.

The gas tube 17 is preferablyespecially constructed, as by being cast, and has a rear depending portion 17a which is connected with the branch pipe 16 by means of a valve fitting 23 having a valve of any preferred form operable by means of a hand wheel 24 to control the flow of gas into the nozzle.

The annular casing or air tube 18 is mounted upon the gas tube 17 in concentric spaced relation, to provide the annular passageway 19, the casing being made of sub stantially larger diameter than the tube 17. Thus the circular plate 25 encircles the tube 17 and is secured thereto by means of screws 26 entered through an outturned annular flange 27. Near the periphery of the plate the casing 18 is secured to the plate by means of bolts 28 entered through an annular out turned flange 29 at the rear of the casing 18. A suitable number of apertures 30 are provided in the plate 25 adjacent the tube 17 to provide for the entrance of air into the passageway 19. Preferably the forward end of the tube 17 is restrictedin diameter so as to form the frusto-conical discharge nozzle or tip 31, and the forward end of the casing 18 is shaped as at 32 so that the passageway 20 constitutes a Venturi tube. This construction facilitates the discharge of the mixture to the point of combustion at a velocity sufficient to prevent back-flashing, and also serves to effect a more intimate mixture of the gases.

Herein the nozzle 31 is constructed sep-A arately from the gas tube 17 and is mounted with respect to the tube in slightly spaced relation, so as to accommodate between it and the forward end of the tube the fan wheel 21. Thus, within the tip 31 there may be cast a spider 33 centrally apertured to receive a. bolt 34 the inner .end of y which is screw-threaded int-o a disk 35, which latter in turn is screw-threaded into the extreme forward end of the gas tube 17. The spider is preferably extended rearwardly to provide a bearing for the forward face of the wheel. To provide an additional support for the nozzle`31, a plurality of radial set screws 36 may be employed as shown in Fig. 6.

Herein the turbo .fan wheel 21 constituting the impeller is made from a disk of sheet. metal or the like, of a diameter corresponding substantially to the internal diameter of the air tube 18 at the forward end of the gas tube 17. A central aperture 37 is provided in the disk for receiving the bolt 34 upon which the wheel is rotatably mounted. Near its center the disk has formed therein a plurality of inclined blades 38 which constitute turbine blades adapted whengas is discharged from the tube 17 to impart rotation to the fan wheel. Near its periphery the disk is provided with a plurality ofy oppositely disposed blades constituting fan blades 39. The latter are adapted uponrotation of the fan wheel to engage a measured quantitvof air from the passageway 19 and propel it forwardly in a positive manner rather than by induction pressure and volume f the gas discharged against the turbine blades 38. It will be understood that these blades 38 and 39 are relatively proportioned or calibrated so that for a given volume of gas discharged against the blades 38 a predetermined proportion of air will be drawn and forced through the fan wheel by the blades 39. Consequently, when the volume of gas is controlled, the device operates automatically to maintain the predetermined ratio between the constituent elements of the mixture.

The controlling means 22 for determining the volume of gas to be dischargedl from the gas tube 17 comprises a valve disk 40 having a plurality of ports therein adapted to coac-t with a plurality of ports in the stationary disk 35,7 in the forward end of the air tube 18. Referring' to Fig. 4, the disk 40 as herein shown, has four ports 41, 42, 43, and 44, and the disk (Figs. 2 and 10) has two ports 45 and 45il with which the ports 41 to 44 are adapted to register. The port 45a is herein made twice the size of the port 45, and said ports 41 to 44 are arran ed in a manner hereinafter set forth so t at in various positions of the disk various qiantities of gas are discharged through t e ports and 45a. The latter, it will be noted by reference to Fig. 2, are preferably inclined inwardly and forwardly so as to direct the How of gas against the turbine blades 38 in the most effective manner and thus more effectually to accomplish the rotation of the wheel 21 through the force of compression transmitted through the gas.

The means herein shown for operatin the valve disk 4() Icomprises a stem46 rigi with the disk and extending rearwardly through the tube 17, the latter being provided at its rear end where it connects with the depending portion 17, with a bearing 47. A hand wheel 48 is fixed on the rear end of the stem and a screw 49 is mounted in the bearing and engages at its inner end in an annular groove 50 in the stem whereby to hold the stem against longitudinal movement in its bearing. A suitable stuffing box 51 maybe provided around the stem.

Preferably means is provided for enabling the attendent to adjust the valve means 22 so as to accomplish accurately the discharge of any desired volume of gas for consumption. This means may 'comprise a notched wheel 52 fixed upon the stem 46 near its rear end, with which a spring latch member 53secured upon the bearing 47 is adapted to coact. To this end the wheel 52 has a plurality of notches, corresponding in number to the ports 41 to 44 .in the valve disk 40, and designated 41a, 42a, 43 and 44a. These notches are adapted vto coact with a knife edge 54, and together with the ports 41 to 44 in the valve disk are relatively ar- .ranged so that when the notch 41a is enfurnace.

predetermined volumes of gas, and it thus becomes possible by simply manipulating the hand wheel 48 of the valve controlling means to regulate accurately the volume of gas discharged for consumption, three variations being herein provided for. The

resulting operation of the turbo-fan wheel serves to measure automatically the amount of air required for intermixture with the gas to produce a combustible mixture of the proper air and as ratio.

It will be seen t at `I have produced a means for supplying gaseous fuel for combustion purposes which is of a very efficient as well as practical character. The airA is positively impelled forwardly in a measured or metered volume proportionalto the vol-- ume of gas discharged. The manual control of the ratio between the air and gas constituting the combustible mixture, which is necessary in devices of the prior art, is entirely eliminated as are also the uncertainties'and inaccuracies necessarily attend- -ant upon the manual operation. Also, the

volume of the combustible mixture consumed is capable of being readily varied without upsetting the predetermined ratio.

In the industrial arts it frequently is desirable that in a single system, a plurality of stations may be provided at which work of a different character is performedl and hence having different requirements as regards the combustion of fuel. Thus it will be apparent that where the combustion takes place in the open air a lesser amountof air need be mixed with the fuel gas for the efficient combustion'4 thereof than in a case where the combustionv occurs within a closed In my improved system, the burners at the several stations may be readily made to conform to the varying conditions which may exist. This is accomplished by the use of turbo -fan wheels having their blades properly coordinated to effect the relative movement of the gases constituting the mixture which may be rendered desirable by the peculiar operating conditions. 1t will thus be seen that the system is of a flexible character, adapted for use under practically any set of conditions and for different purposes. After it has .been initially determined what the proper ratio 'is to be,'practically no skill is required of the l attendant, it being only necessary for him to vary the volume of the mixture consumed and this by simply regulating the flow of the gas which is under pressure.

I desire to point out especially that my system is capable of use in handling {iuids other than gas and air such, for example, as oil and steam. and that the number of elements capable of being handled is not limited to two. Thus, if it should be desired to combine with the mixture of air and a lean producer' gas, an enriching gas, this can readily be accomplished through the use of an additional series of impeller vanes; that it is not essential that the gas as distinguished from the air be under pressure, it being obvious that the automatic operation may be accomplished by either of the gases under pressure for acting positively upon the other to control the ratio between the two elements to constitute the mixture.

In the subjoined claims, the word positive as used, refers to the character of the movement imparted Yto the air or other Huid in the outer passageway by the direct action of the outer blades thereon as distinguished from an induced flow produced by a current under pressure: and the terms gas and air are employed for the sake of convenience and not by way of limitation.

While I have herein illustrated and described a construction in which one fluid body under pressure is utilized to effect the movement of another fluid body not under pressure through the medium of an impelling device embodying turbine blades adapted to receive the impact of the fluid body under pressure, it is contemplated that the impeller with its two series of blades may .be actuated by means deriving its power from a source other than a fluid body under pressure.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a gaseous fuel supply system. the

Vcombination with a source of gas supply under pressure. a gas tube communicating with said source and having a discharge nozzle, an air tube surrounding the gas tube in spaced relation with reference thereto and having an air inlet opening at its rear end, said air tube providing an annular passageway around the gas tube and a continuing passageway forwardly of said nozzle, a fan wheel comprising turbine blades disposed in the path ofr gas discharged from said gas tube and adapted to impart rotation to said wheel and fan blades projecting into said annular passageway and adapted upon rotation of the wheel to force into the forward passageway a volume of air in a predetermined proportion to the volume of gas discharged from the gas tube, and means for controlling the volume of the gas thus discharged.

2. In a gaseous fuel supply system, the combination with a source of'gas supply under pressure, a gas tube communicating with said source and having a discharge nozzle, an air tube surrounding the gas tube in spaced relation with reference thereto and having an air inlet opening at its rear end, said air tube providing a passageway forwardly of said nozzle, a fan wheel comprising turbine blades disposed in the path of gas discharged from said gas tube and adapted to impart rotation to saidwheel and fan blades projecting radially into said air tube and adapted upon rotation of the wheel to force into 'said passageway a volume of air in a predetermined proportion to the volume of gas discharged from the gas tube, and means for controlling such volume of the gas thus discharged.

3. In a gaseous fuel supply system, the combination with a source of gas supply under pressure, a gas tube communicating with said source, an air tube surrounding the gas tube in spaced relation with reference thereto, a fan wheel comprising turbine blades disposed in the path of gas discharged from said gas tube and adapted toimpart rotation to said wheel and fan blades projecting into said air tube and adapted upon rotation of the wheel to cause a proportional volume of air to move forwardly for intermixture with the gas' discharged from the gas tube.

4. In a gaseous fuel supply system, the combination of an air tube and a gas tube concentrically arranged, the gas tube being of substantially smaller dimensions than the air tube and terminating at a point within the forward end of the air tube, means for compressing one of said gases, and a fan Wheel adapted to be driven by the gas under pressure to force a-quantity of the other gas into the forward end of the air tube.

5. In a gaseous fuel supply system, the combination of an air tube and a gas tube concentrically arranged, the gas tube being of substantially smaller dimensions than the air tube and terminating at-a point within the forward end of the air tube, means for compressing one of said gases, and a fan wheel adapted to be driven by the gas under pressure to force a quantity of the other gas into the forward end of the air tube, the latter providing a passageway having a pe ripheral surface forming a Venturi tube.

6. In a gaseous fuel supply system, the combination of a pair of concentric tubes one substantially larger than the other, means for supplying air and gas to the respective tubes, one of said gases being under pressure, and a device actuated by the discharge of the gas under pressure to effect the positive movement of the other gas in a predetermined proportional volume.

7. In a gaseous fuel supply system, the

combination of a pair of concentric tubes one substantially larger than the other, means for supplying air and gas to the re- Lacasse spective tubes, one of said gases being under pressure, a device actuated by the discharge of the gas under pressure to effect the positive movement of the other gas in a predetermined proportional volume, and means form controlling the volume of the gas underJ pressure acting upon said device.

8. A gas burner comprising, in combination, a pair of concentric tubes, one of which is substantially larger than the other and provides an annular passageway, a nozzle for the inner tube mounted in slightly spaced relationforwardly thereof, a fan wheel mounted between said inner tube and said nozzle for'rotation by fluid under pressure discharged from said gas tube into said nozzle, said wheel being adapted to move positively a proportional quantity of a second fluid forwardly in said passage for mixture with the fluid discharged from said nozzle.

9. A gas burner comprising, in combinaf tion, a pair of concentric tubes, one of which is substantially larger than the other and provides a passageway for air, means for supplying gas to the inner tube under pressure, a nozzle for the gas tubemounted in slightly spaced relation forwardly thereof, a fan wheel mounted between said gas tube and said nozzle for rotation by gas under pressure discharged from said gas tube into said nozzle, said wheel being adapted to move positively a predetermined quantityV of air forwardly in said passage for mixture with the gas discharged from said nozzle, said gas tube having in its forward end a disk having ports for directing the gasagainst said wheel to actuate it, and means for controlling said ports.

10. A gas burner comprising, in combination, an air tube communicating at its rear end with the, atmosphere, a gas tube located centrally within said air tube and forming a passageway around it for the air, means for supplying gas under ressure to said gas tube, a fan wheel adapted to be actuated by the as discharged from said tubel and 0perab e to move positively a predetermined volume of air through said passageway, and means for controlling the flow of gas and thereby the volume of the mixture discharged for combustion.

A 11. A gas burner comprising, in combination, an air tube communicating at its rear end with the atmosphere, a gas tube located centrally within said kair tube and forming a passageway around it for the air, means for supplyinggas under pressure to said gas tube, a fan wheel adapted to be actuated by the gas discharged from said tube whereby to move positively a predetermined proportional volume of air through said passageway, and means for controlling the flow of as and thereby the -volume of the mixture discharged forcombustion, said means comprising a disk mounted in the forward end of the tube and having one or more ports for irecting a jet of gas against said wheel, and a valve member manually operable to control the flow of gas through said port.

l2. A gas burner comprising, in combination, an air tube communicating at its rear end with thev atmosphere, a gas tube located centrally within said' air tube and forming a passageway around it for the air, means for supplying gas under pressure to said gas tube, afan Wheel adapted to be actuated by 'the gas discharged from said tube and operable to move determined volume of air t ough said passageway, and means for controlling the flow of gas and thereby the volume of the mixture discharged for comb-ustion, said means comprising a disk mounted in the forward end of the gas tube and having one or more ports for directing a jet of gas against said wheel, and a valve disk havingaplurality of ports therein adapted to permit the .dischargeof a variable quantity of gas and having means whereby it may be manually operated. l

13. In a device of the character described, the combination of a fan wheel for control ling the intermixture of air and gas in a predetermined proportion, means for controlling the dow of a gas under pressure against-said lWheel to actuate it comprising a pair of disks each having ports adapted for registry so as to vary the volume of the gasv discharged therethrough, one of said disks having a stem, and a hand wheel on said stem.

14. In a dev-ice of the character described,

the combination of `a .fan wheel, and meansY for rotatively supporting said wheel in -the path-of the gas under pressure whereby to actuate it and move positively a predetermined proportional volume of another gas for mixture therewith.

15. In a device of the character described,

'the combination of a casing, a tube discharging into said casing, a fan wheel adapted to be rotated by gas under pressure to impel positively a predetermined quantity of the other gas with which it is to be mixed for combustion purposes, and

1plositively a premeans for rotatively supporting said wheel comprising' an axial stem, and a member mounted within the forward end of said tube providing a support for said stem.

16. The combination of -a compressor, means providing a passageway .for an element under pressure discharged from said compressor, means providing an annular passageway around the first passageway, and an impelling device having vanes located in said annular passageway and turbine blades located in the first passageway and adapted to receive the impact. of the element under pressure prior ,to its discharge for effecting the rotation of the impelling device.

17. In combination, a discharge tube for an element under pressure, means providing a passageway around said tube for a second element, an impelling device actuated by the element under pressure to move positively a second element through said passageway, and means for varying the force of the impact of the first element against the impelling device.

18. The combination of a conductor communicating with an element under pressure, a second conductor concentricl with the first conductor and communicating with a source of supply of a second element, and an impelling device operable in one of said conductors and arranged to be actuated by the element under,1 pressure in its passage through the other conductor.

19. The combination of a conductor communicating with an element under pressure, a second conductor concentric with the first conductor and communicating with a source of supply of a second element, and an impelling device operable in one of said conductors and arranged to be actuated by the element under pressure in 'its passage through the other conductor, the outer conductor being arranged to extend forwardly from the inner conductor and providing a mixing chamber forwardly thereof and in the form of a Venturi tube. v

20. In a Huid fuel supply system, the combination of a pair of concentric' conductors one of which is substantially larger than the other so as to provide a passageway therebetween, means for supplying two elements to be mixed to the respective conductors, and rotary means operating in each of the conductors adapted to act upon the element supplied thereto and effect its forward movement in measured flow for subsequent intermixture with the element in the other conductor.

21. A gaseous fuel supply system, comprising a pair of concentric tubes one of which is of greater diameter than the other so as to form an annular passageway between the tubes, each of said tubes com!y municating with a source of supply of a gaseous element, and means mounted for rotation in the respective tubes and operable to effectl the movement of said elements in a predetermined ratio while confined by their respective tubes and independently of the intermixture of the elements.

22. In a gaseous fuel supply system, means providing separate passages for gaseous elements to be mixed, and means for controlling the flow of the gaseous elements through their respective passages comprising an impelling device having turbine blades disposed in one of said passages and fan Lacasse blades disposed in the other one of said passages.

23. In a fiuid fuel supply system, the combination with means for supplying gas under pressure, of means for providing force air through the other one of said passages in measured flow.

24. In a gaseous fuel supply system, the combination with means for supplying a gaseous element under pressure, a pair of passages arranged to discharge into a common chamber, said passages being tapered in the direction of flow of the gases, and means for effecting the measured movement of air and gas while separately conned through said passages into said chamber, the last mentioned means being operable by the force ofthe gas under pressure.

25. In a gaseous fuel supply system, the combination with means for supplying a gaseous element under pressure, and means providing a mixing chamber, of a pair of passages discharging into said chamber, said passages being tapered in the direction of flow of the gases, and means for effecting the measured movement of air and gas while separately confined through said passages into the combustion chamber, the last mentioned means being operable by the force of the gas under pressure and comprising a rotary member having fan' and turbine blades disposed respectively in the path of the air and gas flowing to said passages.

26. A gas burner having a pair of annular passages one within the other, and rotary means for effecting the measured flow of two gaseous elements separatelythrough said passages comprising two series ofblades, the blades of one series being adapted when subjected to a gaseous element under pressure toy impart movement to the blades of the other series whereby to effect the positive movement of the other gaseous element.

27. A gas burner having a pair of annular passages one within the other, and a rotary element including two means located respectively in the two passages andvboth operating upon gaseous elements while separately confined in the respective passages to effecttheir movement in measured flow for subsequent intermixture. v

- 28. The method of supplying for combustion a fluid fuel-consisting of two or more separate elements, which consists in conducting the elements to a common point of intermixture by effecting the independent movement of each element in a measured ow while confining it -rom the other elepressure whereby to impart rotary movel0 ment or elements, thus maintaining it in ment to the impeller, the other set of blades its innate state until discharged in the prebeing' an blades adapted to engage another determined proportion at the said point of fluid body not under pressure to propel it intermixture. forwardly for mixture with the'luid body f 29. An impeller for a. fluid fuel supply under pressure. r 15 means, having two sets of vanes or blades In testimony whereof, I have hereunto of which one set are turbine blades adapted set my hand.' to receive the impact of a fluid body under THERON L. HILES. 

